Diss, Gissing and Attleborough

I have made a map of East Anglia, decorated with blue spots representing churches with evidence of Anglo Saxon features, and red spots denoting railway stations. The intention is to launch raids from the railway stations and visit these churches, over time, in this way, conquering all of East Anglia by bike. Why. Well, I like the old churches. It gives me a sense of calm to think of a community not quite destroyed throughout a thousand years, to touch the evidence, which, if not concrete, is at least flint and mortar, or perhaps dressed stone. I like the Saxons; I like their proud and gloomy nature, the disaster of the battle of Maldon (ofermode - allowing the enemy an advantage to make things more fair), the despairing tone of Bishop Werferth's letter to King Alfred, regretting how the country had gone to the dogs. I share it. Nonetheless, the churches provide a route, but of course, the real purpose is to get out of the house, to attempt the trip, to meet t...